Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 32

Gearing up for Nanowrimo 2020

Ready or not, here it is. Sunday begins what is called National Novel Writing Month, or Nanowrimo for short. I've participated and won at least nine years (I missed a few the years my children were born, for some reason). I had a few years early on when I didn't quite make it 50,000, the goal of the month. But the last few years, I've surpassed 75,000 words. It's a huge accomplishment.
And, it must be working, because of those nine Nanowrimo stories, three have been published, and two more will be next year! Wow!
So, for this year, my goal is to write book two of my Roadtrip Romance series I started last year. I meant to write this one earlier this year, but got sidetracked with a book that will hopefully end up being part of a trilogy written with Heather Greer and Erin Howard. Until then, I'm back to my original plan.
The first book in the series is about three college friends who go on one last roadtrip together after graduation before Bree gets married. Well, this second one is Bree's story. And it's her honeymoon, although I don't think it's going to end up being anything like she expected. Working title of the story right now is Honeymoon Mayhem.
How does that sound? Do you love reading stories where things go so wrong that you have to wonder how they characters will ever come out with a relationship intact? That's my goal for this one. If you don't hear much from me in November, now you know why. ;-)

A New Challenge

When I decided my word for 2020 was stretch, I had no idea how fitting that word would truly be. Sure, I meant to stretch myself to new things, to learn and grow and expand. But I had no idea when I started this year that I'd end up doubling how many stories I had published by the end of 2021!
What!?
​That's right.
I just signed two more contracts for books to release next year. That means that at the end of 2021, I'll have six books published, twice as many as I have right now.
​To say I'm slightly shocked and blown away is an understatement.
Here's what the two contracts were for. The first one was for a novel to be published in December 2021. It's one near and dear to me, about a preacher's daughter who has fallen away from the church after she grows up and how she finds her way back home.
The second contract was totally unexpected and unlooked for. My publisher offered me a spot in a novella collection with four other authors. Each story will be a Christmas tale set on a different beach, and the title is Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams. My beach is going to be St. Simon's Island, Georgia, a place I've been wanting to set a story at anyway. The collection will release September 2021.
Whew!
So, why is this a new challenge?
Well, I've never had more than one book release in a year before, so that's new... and thrilling. I've never actually written a story with contract already in hand. All my previous ones were written before gaining the contract. We'll see if this makes it easier or harder. And, I've never written a novella. Instead of my normal 65-70,000 words, I'll be writing it in 18,000. Yikes. I hope I can do it.
Looks like I'm going to continue to stretch myself in 2021! Maybe my word for next year will be maintain or continue. ;-)
Have you taken on any new challenges this year (besides living through a pandemic)? Enjoy this picture from St. Simon's I took last year to get us all ready for my story next fall. :-)

The Power of Retreat

When Heather Greer, Erin Howard, and I started talking about how/when we were going to get together to shoot more videos for our YouTube channel in October, we decided to try our hand at another retreat. The one we did for just us in March was great, but this time, we opened it up to others, too. And let me tell you, even though our first official retreat was small, it was powerful.
What do I mean by powerful? Were there earth-shattering moments or majestic instances of insight? Probably not.
That being said, if you've never been on a retreat of any kind, let me tell you what happens.Not much sleep.Lots of laughter.Bonding.Eating.A little bit of work.Peace.I got to spend two full days and nights with people who understand at least part of what I'm going through. We got to encourage each other. Uplift. Build each other up. Help brainstorm. Rejoice in good and share the pain of the bad. Yes. It was a great weekend, despite not many words being written on my part (I'm saving mine for November).
We also recorded several more YouTube videos, so be watching for those, too.
Have you gone on a retreat? What's something you gained?

A Year of YouTube

When Erin Howard and Heather Greer and I started talking about doing a YouTube channel a year ago, I wondered what on earth we'd find to talk about. Since then, we've posted almost every Saturday. And grown closer to each other. And had so much fun.
Who knew? YouTube wasn't something I'd ever considered being on. I mean, I'm not a star or anyone, so why make videos that no one would watch? But you guys! At least a few people have watched our videos. And by doing this together, we've all grown and stretched outside the comfort zones we had set for ourselves.
So, what has a year of YouTube taught me?It's a good thing Heather figured out how to edit these videos, because we end up with tons of ridiculous footage of us being silly before we actually get started doing what we sat down to do.It's harder than you'd think to remember to say all the things in each video--you know, things like "welcome to Once Upon a Page."When you can't be with the ones who make the videos with you, Zoom works in a pinch, but it's not near as much fun.It's worth it to drive several hours to spend a day laughing and filming with these two girls.Just because I wasn't sure about it doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. It's been totally worth it.In a pinch, we can always find something to talk about.So, have you ever accomplished a year of doing something you'd never considered and weren't sure about when you started? What did you learn?

And, if you want to check out our YouTube channel, here's the link.

Three!

Did you know that Laura Ingalls Wilder was sixty-five years old before her first book was published? Sixty-five!
Let me tell you, I am nowhere near sixty-five. And that makes the fact that my third book released this week even sweeter. Just look at that beautiful picture. THREE books with my name on them. :-)
Sometimes, I can't even believe how all of this has worked out. To go from having stories in my head, to writing them down, to EDITING, to finding other people who saw the potential in the stories, too, and were willing to give them a shot. Wow. It's a lot. But to be able to hold these books in my hands and see my name on the covers ... and have other people tell me they loved them? Wow. Just wow. Thank you for being along for the ride and for helping this crazy author live her dream. Because without readers, there's no point in me writing these stories down (except to get my characters to hush, but that's another tale).
I hope you're enjoying these stories as much as I enjoyed writing them--or even more since you didn't have to go through the editing process with me. Ha!
And may I never wake up from this dream-come-true. Because it's lovely, in spite of all the crazy chaos that goes with it.
Have you ever had a dream come true? Are you still working towards making yours happen? You've got time! Laura Ingalls Wilder is proof of that. ;-)

Author Interview: Sally Ling

Today, I'm interviewing fellow Anaiah Press author, Sally Ling. The more I learn about this lady, the more fascinated I am. Read on and see if you feel the same.

What started you down the road of writing books about Florida history?

I was a special correspondent for the Sun Sentinel newspaper and my editor assigned me a story about some old World War II buildings on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida that used to be part of the Boca Raton Army Air Field (1942-1947). After I wrote my article, I realized this was a much bigger story than the 700 words I was assigned. I wrote a second article for a local magazine (2000 words), yet the story still wasn’t given adequate space. My first book on Florida history turned out to be the amazing story of how the Boca Raton Army Air Field played a pivotal role in winning WWII. The story was made into a feature documentary by our local PBS station.

What is your favorite part of living in Florida?
​
The weather. Although it’s hot in Florida in the summer, so is the rest of the country. Where I live (southeast coast), there is always a breeze, and the winter is beautiful. Typically, I go to North Carolina for the summer.

I know you write both fiction and nonfiction. Do you have a preference or like each for different reasons?
​
I typically alternate my writing between nonfiction and fiction. Nonfiction involves a copious amount of research, so it typically takes me longer to write. I must say, however, that my fiction books also require lots of research as you’ll note in Women of the Ring. Regarding fiction, I’ve always had a vivid imagination, and for that reason I love writing fiction. The challenge of weaving a story together and not really knowing where I’m going until I get there is exciting to me. I’m a pantster writer (I write by the seat of my pants). Is there a historical fact you've discovered you want to write about, but haven't found the time yet?

Yes. Few know that when the colonies were established the British also had established two colonies in Florida: East Florida and West Florida. So in essence, there were fifteen colonies.
I love that your book includes the history of the first engagement ring. As a romance author, I always love learning tidbits like that. What was something that surprised you when you studied rings?

When writing Women of the Ring, I was looking for a way to weave the story of the contemporary engagement ring into historic significance when I chanced upon the story of Mary of Burgundy who is actually credited with wearing the first engagement ring in history. What a fascinating story she has! That story became the catalyst for the book and how her ring, though redesigned, became owned by a number of historically significant women. 
Would you describe your fiction as more romance, mystery, or something else? What made you want to write in that genre?
My fiction is typically more mystery, though my current cozy mysteries with Anaiah Press do have a thread of romance in them. I also have a series of biblical mysteries (The Cloak, The Spear of Destiny, The Twelfth Stone), and one of my books (Who Killed Leno and Louise) is a mystery based upon the cold case murders of an Italian sculptor and his wife who were murdered in 1948 in Boca Raton, Florida. This turned out to be one of those stranger than fiction stories.
I know you're working on something new right now. Can you give us a hint about what to expect from you down the road?
I’ve taken a break from historical nonfiction and am currently writing a series of cozy mysteries. If they do well, I may stick to this genre for a while, but I’m also finishing a fiction book (The Man in the Red Flannel Shirt) based upon a story relayed to me about a contemporary encounter with an angel.      
I always ask my authors to tell us one fact about themselves that very few people know. What ya got?

I didn’t start writing professionally until my mid-fifties. I’m now 72 and am hoping to get all the stories in my noggin down on paper before I kick the bucket.
​
Thanks for joining us today, Sally. Your stories sound fascinating and I bet a lot of us are looking forward to getting to read one.

Keep reading to find out more. Brooklyn jeweler Abel Moody thought cleaning and appraising longtime friend Julia Townsend’s heirloom engagement ring would be nothing short of routine. Instead, he discovers it matches a sketch of an ancient ring his deceased father left him. This remarkable coincidence prompts him to immediately close his shop and embark on a clandestine journey to Paris. 
At an ancient church in the heart of the city, a priest gives Abel a book–Women of the Ring. It reveals the long-hidden story of the world’s first engagement ring dating back to the late 1400s and the tragic death of its owner. The book also chronicles centuries of the ring’s ownership by women of historical importance from a reigning Queen of France to the world’s most beloved actress. 
The dangerous history of this ring prompts Abel to ponder the crucial question: If his friend Julia wears the ring, will she endure some heartbreak or catastrophe like the others did?  
Abel’s unconditional love for Julia proves the catalyst in wanting to protect her from the ring’s apparent past, no matter what the cost. 

A contemporary mystery bound to a historical past.  More here. ​Sally J. Ling, Florida’s History Detective, is an author, speaker, and historian. She writes historical nonfiction, specializing in obscure, unusual, or little known stories of Florida history, as well as historical fiction and mysteries with a Florida connection.
As a special correspondent, Sally wrote for the Sun Sentinel newspaper for four years and was a contributing journalist for several South Florida magazines.
Based upon her knowledge as well as excerpts from her books, Sally has appeared in three feature-length TV documentaries—“Gangsters,” the National Geographic Channel; “Boca Raton: The Secret Weapon that Won World War II” and “Prohibition and the South Florida Connection,” WLRN, Miami. She served as associate producer on the latter production. She has also appeared in and served as production consultant for several short documentaries on South Florida history produced by WLRN, Miami.
Sally has been a repeat guest on South Florida PBS TV and radio stations, guest presenter at the Lifelong Learning Society at Florida Atlantic University and guest speaker at numerous historical societies, libraries, organizations and schools. 
Sally lives with her husband, Chuck, and splits her time between South Florida and western North Carolina.

​Follow here online here.

Sneak Peek of Saving Grace

This book baby is releasing October 6th. But just to whet your appetite, here's a sneak peek of the first chapter. I can't wait to hear what you think.

Don't forget to join me on Facebook on the evening of the 6th to party and celebrate ... and maybe win a door prize. Click here to find out more. [image error] prologue___ch_1.pdfFile Size: 145 kbFile Type: pdfDownload File

What to Expect

My third book, Saving Grace, launches in one week and one day. I am pretty excited right now, and I wanted to share a bit with you of what to expect over the next few weeks as I launch this book baby. I have quite a bit planned. On all these blogs I'm mentioning, I'll be sharing links on my social media sites--and quite a few are going to be giveaways so be sure to check them out!Wednesday, September 30, I will be on Regina Merrick's blog, answering some questions as my character Michelle.Thursday, October 1st, I will share the first chapter on my blog, so be sure to watch for that. Want just a bit more? I'll share the first TWO chapters with my newsletter subscribers (look up in the top right corner of this screen if you haven't already signed up).Also on Thursday, I will be on Karin Beery's blog and InspyRomance.  Friday, October 2nd, I'll be the Fiction Friday on Snark and Sensibility, sharing another scene from my book.Saturday, October 3rd, we're celebrating my release on Once Upon a Page, our Youtube channel, and I'll read a scene.Tuesday, October 6th, Happy Birthday to Saving Grace! I'll be celebrating that evening with a come-and-go book launch on Facebook and would love to have you all join me. Here's the link. Swing by with a friend or two. I'll be doing games and giveaways.Wednesday, October 7th, I'm chatting on Hallee Bridgeman's blog answering some questions her readers have for authors.Thursday, October 8th, I'll be the guest on Journey to Joy, sharing more of the story before the story.Monday, October 12th, I'll be on Seekerville, talking about "When God says No."Tuesday, October 13th, I'm on Shannon Vannatter's blog, discussing Friends to Lovers in real life.Also on Tuesday, October 13th, I'm chatting on Reading is my Superpower.Wednesday, October 14th, I'm on Catherine Castle's blogAnd Friday, October 16th, I'm back on Shannon Vannatter's blog, talking more about friends to lovers in fiction.This is what I have planned for now. I'll let you know if I add any more. Thanks for being excited with me as I launch my third book. 

Saving Grace Deleted Scene

When I first wrote Saving Grace back in 2013, I started it in a slightly different spot than where it starts now. The scene was deleted during various editing stages, for various reasons. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share it here, where you could see my original beginning, before you actually get to read the story itself.

**By the way, just two more weeks until it releases, and next week I'm planning to give some sneak peeks of chapters that are still in the book itself, just to give you a taste for it!     Leah’s breath came out in a whoosh. Her abdominal muscles tightened, starting from her back and then reaching around to her front. The baby gave a kick, as if to say she didn’t appreciate being squeezed that way.
   “Just a little bit longer and we’ll get you out of there.” Leah rubbed the spot where the foot had bumped. “Trust me. Neither one of us is comfortable right now.”
   John looked over at her and she gave him a smile of reassurance.
   “They’re getting closer together.” He looked more concerned than she was. It was so cute.
   “And that’s why we’re on the way to the hospital.” ​   He nodded and turned his attention back to the road. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back and she knew that even though he was worried, he was just as excited as she was. They had been married for three years, and this baby seemed to be the one thing their life had been missing before. She gently massaged her belly as the small life inside her wiggled again.
   “I wish your Mama were still around to see this. She’d be thrilled to pieces to be a Grandma.” His voice cracked a bit.
   She nodded. “All of our parents would be excited to be grandparents. Your Dad would have loved it.”
   “They’re sure to be watching from Heaven right now. Just looking down and grinning.”
   She smiled at that thought. Pain wrapped around her middle again, squeezing and contracting. She shifted, arching her back away from the seat. There was no comfortable position. The seatbelt strap cut into her at an awkward angle. She popped it loose to readjust it.
   Ding. Ding. Ding.
   The car warned her that she wasn’t supposed to be out of her seatbelt.
   “What are you doing?”
   “I just need to get it adjusted.” She tugged the belt around her again, trying to reach around her large stomach to push it back in. Good thing this baby was coming now. If her belly had gotten any larger, she wouldn’t have been able to fit anywhere much longer.
   “We’ll be there in a few minutes. Please put it back on.” His hand hovered over her.
   “I’m working on it. Tell you what. Next time, you can carry the baby and I’ll be the one with a normal sized belly to have to fit into a seatbelt.” She tugged at the strap again. Almost had it. “Why do you think babies always choose to come in the middle of the night? Less traffic?”
   An intersection ahead. He slowed, but the light changed to green. Onward, as fast as they could go.
   “That’s definitely a theory.”
   A motorcycle zipped through the intersection, running his red light.
   No time to think.
   No time to slow again.
   John braced his arm across Leah as she struggled to get the buckle to lock back into position.
   Too late.
   He swerved to the left as hard as he could, and the world turned over.

Behind the Story: Church building

I have been in many, many church buildings through the years. Perks of being a preacher's daughter, among other reasons. Apparently, though, some of them stuck with me more than others, and they're sneaking into my writing.
As I was rereading Saving Grace during edits, it hit me that I'd pictured a particular church building from my past when describing the one in the story. Greg is the youth minister, so several scenes take place there.
The church building in my head is the one I was married in. Since I can't go running off to Arkansas right now to do a walk-through video and show you this charming building, I am doing the next best thing and showing pictures as I describe it. The main door s lead to a little foyer right off the auditorium. The first time I walked into the auditorium, my breath caught. Sunlight sparkled through the stained glass window up front and mesmerized me. Right then, I decided I had to get married at a time of day when the sunshine lit up those colors above us. And I did (4:45 pm on June 11th, in case you were wondering). From the foyer, you can go down this hallway. The nursery, bathrooms, old kitchen, and classrooms all line either side. When we first moved there, that was it, but then they added a larger fellowship hall at the end, to the right. It was perfect for our wedding reception. And here's the fellowship hall, from right after it was built. Nice and big. The only part of the building described in the book that's not like this one is the office area. I think that must have been based on the church office my grandfather had in Cookeville, TN for years and years. Isn't it funny how different church buildings stick with us in certain ways? 

Keep scrolling. I'm going to include a few of my wedding pictures just for fun. :-)